Amaterasu
by VanityWantsYou
Summary: A god stuck in a human body, a gunhandling priest, and a human sacrifice with split personalities, together on a journey for a very similar goal: to find the Bijuu. [Continuation of the preview]
1. A Fallen God

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**THIS WILL UPDATE ONCE A MONTH, OR SOONER IF I HAVE TIME.**

**This story is set in the samurai era, meaning homosexual relationships are EXTREMELY common and that there will be various demons from both Japanese and Chinese cultures. I will also have the tailed beasts, despite how screwed up they are. If you all don't know, every single one of the tailed beast's descriptions in Naruto and forums are complete lies. Kyuubi can be defeated by only an arrow, the Houkou doesn't have five tails AND it's not even a Japanese beast, it's Chinese, there's no such thing as the Sokou, Isonade was not a three-tailed monster, and the Kaku was basically just a small creature that stole tea leaves from soba shops...**

**So understand that I will keep the tailed beasts as they are in the Naruto anime... but I will tweak them so they're more realistic, like the real legends. No stupid Raijuu with lightning bolt tails :Rolls eyes: Oh, and the samurai and warlords in here are not real. I didn't wanna deal with tying in real people :sweatdrop: but the gods and demons are real!**

**P.S.- The stories of the gods are twisted around so the plot will work.**

**This story is dedicated to DJ! I LOVE YOU!**

**Amaterasu- Sasuke**

**Tsukuyomi- Itachi**

**Kyuubi- Naruto**

**Chapter One: Divinity**

A forceful wind blew over the empty plains that covered Maebashi, the fields of grass swaying painfully, the one single tree that stood firm in the center of vast nothingness groaning in agony. Its naked branches sliced through the wind, creating a sound that resembled the thrust of a sword into human flesh. At the base of the large tree was a peach-colored fruit in the shape of a head, a smiling face peering out at the open expanse of land.

Thunder rolled through the dark, ominous clouds, lightning striking various spots of land further down in the fields. The small human-faced fruit's smile seemed to widen and it laughed as more bolts of lightning hit the land surrounding it, the small shape of a weasel bolting out of the gray clouds above. It's golden fur and six tails were bright, even in the darkness of the day.

As the creature landed on the ground, the earth around its clawed paws crumbled and it leaped back into the air, curling up and taking on the form of a ball of electric light, hissing and crackling as it flew through the lands with enough speed to match a dragon's. It grazed the barren tree and set it aflame.

Even though flames consumed the old tree and burnt the surrounding grass, the human-like fruit watched with a smiling face as two of Nippon's most beloved gods descended upon its lands, their appearance so beautiful and entrancing that it made the smile slip right off the face of the peach, replacing it (instead) with a look of fascination.

Tsukuyomi, the Moon God, stood beside his darling brother, Amaterasu of the Sun. Their features were so similar, but while Amaterasu had an aura of bright light about him, Tsukuyomi had a misty halo of silver. His beauty was equal to his younger brother's, but he could not compete with the warming glow that he, the sun, produced for all of Japan every day.

Amaterasu stepped through the tall grass, his silk attire being dragged over the dry earth, collecting with it dead flowers and shriveled up face fruits. He brushed a porcelain hand over the front of his warm-colored garbs as another strong gust of wind rushed over the plains and extinguished the fire. Tilting his head downward, he spotted the unharmed fruit and bent down to lift it up.

"A Jinmenju fruit," he commented, eyeing the humored face of the edible treat. He lifted it to his face and took a large bite, juices running down his chin and dripping to the ground, staining the grass a crimson red. The little cries of the fruit went unheard by Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi.

"We were unable to slaughter the Raijuu," the Moon God stated rather unemotionally, looking up at the clearing sky that was a dull blue in the absence of Amaterasu, its sun. "Do you suppose we should follow after it, Otouto? If we return to the Bridge of Heaven(1) without the head of at least one Bijuu, Otosama and Okasama will become angered," his words were that of a worried man, but his blank face and uncaring voice betrayed his tone.

Amaterasu stood and his long raven bangs fluttered against his shapely jaw as he turned. "It took us a month to find the Raijuu and it will take another month to find it again. We don't have the time, so our only choice is to return home."

He spared a long glance in the direction of the far away mountains, where the Raijuu had fled to, then tossed the remaining piece of the peach onto the ground, its delicious fluids splattering against the trunk of the burnt tree. Walking to his brother's side, they both disappeared back into the sky, the sun returning to the painted canvas of blue.

xXxXx

Izanami and Izanagi looked down at their sons with disappointed faces. The wife slowly raised her left arm, the end of her pink sleeve reaching up to glossed lips, tickling her nose. While her husband stood with his arms crossed inside of his kimono, she kept a fluid stance, trying not to look too upset. Unlike Izanagi, who could care less about hurting their sons' feelings, she did everything she could to keep them happy, for they were her beloved little boys.

"You two are gods, how can you not kill a weak bijuu such as the Raijuu?.!" their father's strong voice boomed across the expanse of clouds, the bridge they were standing on practically shaking in fear. "You two are worthless! Amaterasu, you may be a great deity, but you cannot be a god if you can't handle such simple tasks. If Japan is to look up to you as such a great being, you must be strong!"

Izanagi then snapped his attention to Tsukuyomi.

"And you, my son, are slow in your work. Your years as the moon in the sky has weakened you a great deal and I have no choice but to cast you down to Earth. The same will go for you, Amaterasu! You two fail as my sons and as gods, so I therefore banish you from the Heavens and send you down to Nippon as mortals!"

Tsukuyomi let a frown cross his face, while Amaterasu looked like he would strike his father down from his perch at the very top of the bridge any second. The Sun God clenched thin hands and gave his parents a stare so dark it rivaled a demon's.

"I have given you and Okasama a good name!" he snarled. "How dare you banish me from my home after everything I have done for you! If you disown me, Otosama, I swear to Yomi(2) that I will tear you from your perch atop the world and slaughter you with my own bare hands!"

Izanami gasped behind her kimono sleeve and glanced over at her husband. The man was not fazed in the least bit.

"Izanagi," she pleaded. "Do not take away from me my own children!"

"My decision is final. Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi will be sent to Nippon as mortals," his scowl was long. "And your threat, my son, has gone unheard."

Amaterasu snarled as the golden glow around him faded away into nothingness. He was now only a pale boy, nothing special in comparison to the village boys on Earth. Beside him, Tsukuyomi's own silver hue disappeared.

"If you ever wish to return here as gods, then slay the bijuu as weak, worthless mortals. Maybe then, I'll let you both return to your places in the sky," Izanagi stated gruffly, then turned from them, leaving behind his wife who watched her two darling boys fall through the clouds and into the Sea of Japan.

xXxXx

On the peninsula of Wajima, various creatures were crawling along its shores, slithering through the water and preying on fishes that tried to approach the shore to lay their eggs in the seaweed. The monsters' sharp fangs dug into the fish, the small bodies flailing around as poison was injected into them. One of the snake-like demons curled itself around the roots of an old mangrove, letting out a croaking sound that was close to a frog's. It's maroon-colored eyes were glazed over with a gray film as it slithered through the branches. It slowly twisted its head to the side and watched as a bright figure approached the shore through the thick forest.

"Hidari-san pulled the net to shallow water earlier this morning, so grab it and let's get back to the village. I bet Ayame-chan's cooking us a large meal right now! Saaaa, I'm starving!" a tall man grinned to a shorter boy, ushering him to go find the fishing net. He had hair as golden as the petals of a sunflower, the yellow locks brushing against his forehead and temples as a light breeze blew over the beach. Walking out onto a wooden dock as the boy ran off down the sandy shore, his bright cerulean eyes reflected the moving clouds above him. Lightning crackled viciously overhead and he narrowed his blue orbs.

He drew his attention back to the ocean and scanned the water, noticing that even as a storm brewed, the water remained still and serene. Walking forward more until the tips of his zori sandals were on the edge of the dock, the man looked down into the water, his reflection staring right back at him. His strong muscles, smooth stomach, and slim waist were wrapped in white bandages, a belt of weapons slung around his hips, overlapping the start of his orange and red Haidate (thigh guards). He dressed close to a samurai, wearing Kobakama (breeches) and Kiahan (gaiters), so one would never know that he was actually a priest.

"Hurry with the net, Konohamaru!" he yelled to his pupil, still staring down at his reflection. A ripple appeared over his face and he blinked, squatting down to look closer. He tilted his head to the side, golden hair obscuring his curious eyes, and reached a hand in, wondering if maybe it was a giant koi. He didn't expect another hand to reach out, as if his reflection was alive. He screeched as pale fingers wrapped around his wrist and yanked. He spread his legs quickly and dug his heels into the posts on the side of the dock, to prevent himself from falling in.

Konohamaru looked up from his task of tying the fish net as the priest's screech echoed through the mangroves. He dropped what he was doing and ran along the shore, his sandals sinking into the soft sand, his eyes catching site of a pale hand wrapped around his senior's wrist, the arm sticking out of the cloudy ocean water.

"Naruto-niisama!" he wailed and almost tripped as he leapt onto the deck, racing to the very end, one of his sandals flying off as he stumbled, once again. He thrust his arms out and grabbed Naruto's forearms, yanking him back from the clutches of whatever creature it was. He gritted his teeth and pulled as hard as he could, with more effort on the blond's part, their distance from the end of the dock widening, only pulling the thing further out of the sea. "Kick it!" he cried.

Naruto ignored his student, surprised that the grip of the creature was so strong. He, being a priest, had a set of rosary around his neck that was meant to keep away any demons, for if they touched him they would be burned alive, so he didn't understand why it's flesh wasn't melting. He reached down and pulled a gun from the belt around his waist, aiming it at the very edge of the dock, waiting for the head of the demon to surface. His arm was perfectly still, despite Konohamaru's rough jerking.

But what surfaced wasn't a demon or serpent, it was a human; a male with raven hair that was short and hanging in his face, his skin a creamy peach color, his eyes half opened and an endless black. His lips were partly open and they were the color of the most fairest of sakura petals. Lowering his arm, Naruto straightened his lips into a fine line and told his pupil to back away. The brunette did as he was told and released his grip, stepping back to give them both room.

The unknown man looked at the blond for a second, then his body swayed and his pupils grew large, consuming his irises. He fell forward, the soaked garbs that hung low on his body slipping even further down his thin frame. Naruto stood, inspecting the smaller boy. He looked to be years younger than himself and had a child-like look to his aristocratic face. With one more flicker over the body with his cerulean eyes, he turned to his student.

"We're taking him back to the village, so pick him up for me. We'll tell Tanemura-san to get the fish in the evening."

Konohamaru frowned. "B-but he could be dangerous!"

The serious look on Naruto's face slipped away and he whined like a child. "Don't be a brat, Konohamaru! Just pick him up and I'll treat you to red bean dumplings later!"

The boy seemed to consider that, then he bent down and lifted the male onto his back, scrunching his nose up since he wasn't too fond of the water that was soaking through his clothes. He turned his head and looked at the unconscious face of the raven, wonder shining in his light brown eyes.

"Naruto-niisama... Are you sure it's going to be okay to take him back...? He did just show up out of nowhere..."

"Yeah, but he's probably a survivor of a shipwreck. You know how turbulent the waters can get around this time of the year," Naruto grinned. "And Sarutobi-sensei would get angry if he found out we left an injured man out on the beach."

"I guess so..."

"Now come on! Dinner's waiting and we need to get this guy into warm clothes before he gets sick, so fasten the pace!" Naruto adjusted his belt and began walking back, his golden hair being blown around in a sudden gust of wind. His eyes twitched as sand barely missed his eyes and he looked over the tops of the mangroves, to the mountains far in the east. Thunder clouds swirled around them, lightning striking more often than it should.

"It looks like a bad storm is coming," Konohamaru commented, walking past his teacher with the pale man still flush against his back. "We should hurry back," he continued on his way and Naruto mumbled an agreement, narrowing his eyes once again in suspicion.

xXxXx

The local village was a beautiful once, the ground covered in a lush, green grass, mangroves twisting around the wooden poles that held colorful lanterns, flowers blooming in the most unexpected of places, a shallow creek branching off in various directions throughout the area, smooth stepping stones placed in the water to prevent small children from soaking their straw sandals.

Villagers were out and about, conversing with each other and excitedly moving their hands in every direction as they mentioned the year's supply of crops. Because there had yet to be a drought, there were going to be many vegetables and fruits for everyone to feast upon. A young woman with chocolate-brown hair hurried in between the talking men, her sandals clacking against the stepping stones as she went across one of the shallow creeks.

She was stopped by a familiar voice, though, and turned, spotting Naruto and Konohamaru returning from their short trip to the shore. She smiled to them and adjusted her light pink kimono, lacing her fingers together behind her in a cute manner.

"Welcome back, Naruto, Konohamaru," she noticed the man that the small boy was supporting and shifted a frail hand to cover her mouth. "M-my, who is that? Is he breathing?"

The blond nodded and decided to take said man from his subordinate's hands, lifting him into his arms, bridal style. He didn't seem to be bothered by the water soaking through his bandages, clutching the freezing body close to his chest. "He was in the ocean. I think he might've been in a shipwreck, but I'll have to ask him about that when he wakes up. **BUT**," he gave the woman a wide grin, "that's not important at the moment. What's important is my dinner, Ayame-chan," he chirped, causing Konohamaru to roll his eyes.

Ayame laughed. "I was just returning to the brewery to get Sarutobi-sama's meal for him. How about you two take the young man to my home and lay him down? I have a yukata on my sleeping mat that I just washed this morning, so dress him in that."

"You're so kind, Ayame-chan," Naruto breathed and began heading to the girl's home, which was near the outskirts. Konohamaru kept up the pace beside him, staring contently at the peaceful face of the mysterious person.

He crinkled his nose in thought. "Do you think... he looks familiar, Naruto-niisama?"

Naruto drew his attention away from the path and looked down at his student curiously, then to the raven his arms. The priest would admit that he was definitely gorgeous (since it wouldn't do much damage to his manly pride) and wondered if maybe he was royalty. He heard of many cases where a prince or princess would disappear from their castles...

"Oh! I know!" Konohamaru suddenly snapped. "He looks just like that god that Ojiichan (Sarutobi) was talking to me about the other night! Um, Amaterasu, the Sun God(1)."

"A Sun God?" Naruto raised a brow and pushed away the beads that covered Ayame's door to her small, traditional home, stepping in. The residence was basically empty except for needed essentials, a sleeping mat, a few candles and lanterns, and her pet tanuki, Uku. "Gods don't just fall from the sky and almost no one had ever seen one--"

"Sometimes I wonder why you're even a priest. You don't follow any religion and it's as if you don't believe in our gods," the brunette crossed his arms and plopped down on the floor, lifting the pure white kimono up from Ayame's bed. "Here."

Naruto sat down as well and laid the raven on the mat, undressing him swiftly and efficiently. He handed the wet garbs to Konohamaru and the boy folded them, tossing them outside to be washed later, and grabbed a dry cloth from the wooden shelf by the door, reaching over to give it to his teacher. The blond took it and proceeded to dry the cold body off.

"But... what if he **is** a god?" Konomaru brought up the topic once again. "He looks exactly like Amaterasu."

Naruto chuckled and began putting the snow-white yukata onto the still unconscious male, careful of ripping it. Once he finished, he moved him further up the mat and covered him up with the thick quilt, to warm him up. He sat back and crossed his legs, wiggling his toes to keep his feet from falling asleep.

"What's the chance of him being him, huh? Slim to none."

"I know that, but his aura... Get close to him, he gives off small bursts of abnormal energy every now and then," the young teen commented. "I noticed it when I was carrying him back from the sea. It's a strange kind of energy... it's like a the flickering flame of a candle. It's small and fades in and out, but it has the potential to swell and consume..."

The priest stared at his student, noticing that he seemed so sure of himself. He got up on his knees and moved forward, putting a hand on either side of the sleeping raven's head. Bending down, he let the tip of his nose touch the other's and closed his eyes, focusing on what kind of aura he gave off.

Then he felt it.

It was a faint flicker, just like Konohamaru had said, begging to be let out. He furrowed his brows, but his eyes remained closed, moving closer so that his forehead was against the man's. He soon regretted it, though, when he found what he called his "second eyelids" closing. He panicked, having never found them closing involuntarily and tried to jerk away, but the energy was already consuming him, the feeling like hundreds of hands yanking at his clothes and scratching at his skin.

Growling and snarling was heard once darkness was all he saw and he felt himself in a very familiar place, where dirty, shallow water was all around him, reaching his ankles. There was no light, except for a disgusting green glow that seemed to seep out of the water as fumes and mist. In front of him were ten tall, thick steel bars, an old exorcist slip on the huge lock in the center. Huffs of breath could be heard inside of the cage-like structure and clouds of cool air shot out from between the bars, warming Naruto's body and making his skin damp.

He was outside of the demon's cell...

Stepping forward, he stared into the darkness, confused as to why he was there and why his "second eyelids" had closed. There was a rumbling from deep in the cage and blood red eyes seeped into the endless black shadows, slitted pupils becoming even more narrow as it watched the movements of it's host.

"Child," it crooned with a malicious voice, brilliant white canines shining through the darkness. A deep growl reverberated from its throat, causing the walls to shake and little stones to crumble away from the rotting ceiling. "The boy is calling out to me."

Naruto looked confused. "What?"

"He was able to close your 'second eyelids', meaning he is more than a mere human. But do not be worried, he may have closed them, but he was not able to break the seal and rip me from your mind."

"More than a human... then what Konohamaru was saying might be correct?" the blond asked.

The demon growled ominously. "If he is a god, then slaughter him. I know for a fact that those filthy deities are after the heads of my kind."

"You're kind? Kyuubi, what are you--"

_"...niisama... Naruto-niisama!"_

Naruto's eyes snapped open and he found himself staring down into two pools of obsidian that were almost as endless as the shadows within Kyuubi's cage. His forehead was still pressed against the raven's and he almost flinched as he felt the hand harshly tugging on his rosary, the male's face impassive, but his eyes showing every emotion he was feeling.

"So you... have the Kyuubi no Kitsune residing within you?"

**(1)- Yes, in the real story, Amaterasu is a Goddess**

**I hope you liked the first chapter to Amaterasu and remember to leave nice, slightly long reviews so that I know if I need to work on anything or whatnot. Remember, this will be updated monthly unless I have time to do otherwise, so... until the next chap, c ya!**


	2. The Journey Begins

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Yeah, it's been way over a month since I last updated :sweatdrop: PLEASE forgive me? Hopefully this makes up for the long wait? Alas, the journey for the Bijuu shall begin!**

Konohamaru stiffened where he sat and clutched the fabric of his kimono just above his knees, his eyebrows drawing together underneath his dark brown bangs. There was a small ounce of fear that swam through his veins, but he knew he shouldn't be afraid of the mysterious man knowing his sensei's darkest secret. If Naruto wanted to, he could just pin the male down and have Konohamaru rip his memories of the past five minutes from his mind. It was that easy, so he knew he had no reason to worry. The raven obviously had no godly strength, anyway, despite the student's assumptions.

Naruto's face was only inches away from smoldering eyes and he could feel the grip on his rosary become tighter with every passing second. Their was a heat that seemed to be oozing from the pale boy's fingers and it burned the priest's skin, causing him to jerk back and the string that held the rosary beads together snapped apart. The round beads shot in various directions and one hit Uku, Ayame's tanuki, scaring the small creature. It leaped in the air from the bed of blankets it was nestled in and scampered underneath the wooden cabinet that was close to the window.

"I asked you a question," the dark-haired man snarled, his calm demeanor gone. Something burned in his pitch black eyes and he sat up more, color returning to his face, which had been sickly white. Now that Naruto paid more attention, he did look too beautiful to be a normal human...

Naruto could feel heat rolling off of the other's body in waves and shifted his glance to Konohamaru, silently telling him to take action. Something was happening to the unknown boy and he needed to put an end to it. If he really was a god, then it wouldn't be a good thing to wait and see what happened.

Nodding his head, Konohamaru slipped his right hand into his left sleeve, slowly pulling out an exorcism slip. But instead of the usual kanji on it to get rid of demons, it held the symbols for the word 'erase'. He shifted back onto the balls of his feet and before the soon-to-be victim could turn his head to see what was going on, he slammed his palm against the back of the raven's skull and his body went slack immediately, his eyes shutting as he fell forward.

Catching him, Naruto frowned.

"The heat that was coming from him proves he's Amaterasu," Konohamaru stated.

"No, it doesn't prove anything," Naruto sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose between two fingers. He was annoyed with what he had gotten himself into, especially after having to hide his identity as the harbinger for the Kyuubi no Kitsune not too long ago. It'd only been five years since he first came to the small village. "He could be a conjurer."

Konohamaru stared at his teacher. "Naruto-niisama, conjurer's can't produce heat from their own flesh. They manipulate it from their surroundings. He's a god, I know it!"

"Shhh!" Naruto smacked his pupil on the back of the head. "Fine, I'll admit that there's a good chance he's a god, but we'll need to take him to Yamato-san to find out. Don't you dare tell anyone about this unless I say you can, alright?"

The brown-haired teenager nodded furiously and stood up, running to take a peak outside. There were a few villagers wandering about, but not too many. Ayame's home being on the outskirts of the village certainly came in handy for once and he stepped back, waving his hand to Naruto. "There's hardly anyone around, so if we hurry, we could probably get to Yamato-sensei's home without being seen. Do you want me to help you carry him?" he was eager to help, since he'd never been so close to such a beautiful and worshipped being before.

Naruto lifted the still nameless man into his arms and winced when he noticed that the other's skin was still scorching hot. "No, I can handle it. Just... run to Yamato-san's hut and tell him about what happened. He's the only person we can tell. Not even Iruka-sensei can know about this."

Konohamaru nodded and took off, leaving Naruto alone with the self-proclaimed Amaterasu. Heaving a sigh, the blond priest glanced down at all of the beads on the floor and grumbled quietly, holding a hand out and a piece of parchment falling from his sleeve. He took a hold of it and muttered a "kai!" before all of the beads collected themselves in the air in front of his hand and mended themselves back together.

He'd never shown such powers in front of the villagers or Konohamaru because he didn't want them to find out he used Kyuubi's powers to do most of his priest work. He didn't really have any talent to become a priest, so he had to use the demon's magic to his advantage.

"Ok, Ami, let's see if you're really a god or not," he snickered and headed out of the small home, not a soul in sight. There was light laughter from the row of huts closer to the center of the village, where Sarutobi lived, but he wasn't worried. As long as there was a group of five or less, he'd be able to rewind their memories. It was a useful technique to use when someone happened to stumble upon him when he lost control...

Shaking his head, he let red seep into his light blue eyes and he moved through the area at an inhuman speed, no one noticing him at all. He cut through vines that were hanging from the old, tall mangroves and came to an abrupt stop in front of a church-like structure that was covered in weeds and white roses.

"Naruto-niisama, Yamato-sensei's waiting inside," Konohamaru was waiting by the door, his hand on the wooden handle. His voice was low so that if anyone was spying on them, he wouldn't be heard.

Nodding, Naruto stalked forward, avoiding the small ants that were marching across the cracked cement. There was the sound of wooden chimes within the building as he entered, his pupil shutting the door behind him and eyeing the slumbering god that was in his teacher's arms. Standing against the wall, he watched Naruto approach the alter-like stand near the back.

"Ah, Naruto-kun," Yamato, an aged man with silk garbs on his frame and cinnamon hair, greeted the entering priest with a kind smile and weary eyes. His footsteps were light on the old stairs that spiraled down from the top floor, sandals worn out from constant use. "It has come to my attention that you might have found... a god? And not just any god, but Amaterasu, the Sun God?"

Holding out his arms, he presented the boy to his elder, careful not to drop the limp form. Yamato approached the both of them and stared down at the unconscious face of the supposed diety, his hand moving to press against the skin of the male's forehead. He drew his fingers back, though, as the heat coming from the other's flesh burned him.

"Strange..." he muttered before narrowing his eyes in a thoughtful way. "He's definitely not human, for no human could withstand having a temperature like that... Nor is he a demon, for he would've shown his true form when touched by my hand."

Konohamaru perked up at that statement, his toes curling in excitement. It was possible that the unknown gentleman was Amaterasu... and if he was, then the boy had been in the presence of one of the very gods he worshipped. He bit his bottom lip and listened on as Yamato continued on with his theories.

"He is either a god or a conjurer," the oldest priest commented with finality.

"He can't be a conjurer because he's producing the heat himself, not manipulating it!" Konohamaru shouted, eager to prove that the man was indeed a diety.

Yamato turned to him and gave him a small upturn of lips before rubbing at his wrists and sighing. "You're right..." he turned back to Naruto. "Do you know what you have stumbled upon? A god has fallen from the sky, meaning chaos will soon come upon Japan. Amaterasu, the god of the sun, has been thrown from his perch on the Heavenly Bridge and the sun will not shine until he is returned."

Naruto groaned and brought the god back to his chest, wishing he hadn't set out to bring back the fish from the docks that morning. He'd tangled himself up into something no one in their right mind would want to become a part of.

"It's your job to return him, Naruto-kun," Yamato said. "Fate has bestowed upon you quite the task."

"Why do I have to do it?" Naruto didn't understand why he couldn't just let the man wake up and find his own way back. The human side of him understood what he was supposed to do and accepted it, knowing it was a task far too important to shrug off; yet the demonic side of him, the part of him that had been warped by Kyuubi's presence within him, wanted nothing to do with the divinity.

"You know that you have to do it," the priest replied in a firm tone. "There is a legend that says when a diety falls from the sky, they fall to the earth to be found by the one and only person who can help them. You are that one person he has chosen."

The blond sighed.

It looked like there would be no way for him to escape destiny.

_It's ironic, really... A god falls at the feet of the one person that can help him, and that person happens to be a demon..._

xXxXx

Most of the villagers were outside of their huts when Naruto and Konohamaru were on their way back to Ayame's home, all of them whispering loudly and throwing fearful looks to one another. They were all gathered together in the center of the village, pointing up at the sky and muttering prayers.

Naruto hissed inwardly as he noticed the dark and grey sky, no clouds in sight.

"I was hoping the clouds would mask the sky for just a little longer... They've all noticed that there's no sun."

"What should we do, Naruto-niisama?" Konohamaru asked, worried. "We can't just tell them that Amaterasu has fallen, can we?"

"Our best bet is to take him and leave the village. If worse comes to worse, Yamato-san will tell them of what happened, but for now, we need to slip outside of the borders and get as close to Toyama as we can," the blond rubbed at his temple with one hand while the other supported Amaterasu's still slack body. "No, what am I thinking? You need to stay here, Konohamaru. I can't take you on a journey like this."

"What?.!" the child looked at his sensei in dibelief. "Don't leave me here, I can help--"

"No, you can't. You're needed here to take care of Sarutobi-sensei... Besides, I'll need someone to take my place as a head priest here in the village."

"You're going to let me be... head priest?" the brown-haired boy blushed lightly, clearly happy that the one man he looked up to was going to let him take his place. "You don't think I'm too young?"

"Not at all," Naruto smiled. "Just make sure you do a good job and stay alive, alright? You'll have to go up against some tough demons. Now..." he reached out and patted Konohamaru on the head, ruffling his hair softly. "Take care of everyone for me and tell them that I left to visit family in Hokkaido."

Konohamaru smiled slightly. "Hai, Naruto-niisama. And make sure you get Amaterasu back to the Heavenly Bridge as soon as possible."

"Don't worry, I will. I am the great Uzumaki Naruto, aren't I?" the priest grinned toothily and stood up straight. "I'll see you around, twerp," then he spun on his heel and took off toward his own hut, passing swiftly by people who were praying and hoping that the lost sun wasn't some kind of omen.

Shoving back the hanging beads in the doorway, he sat the god down on the floor and propped him up against the wall so he could gather some things to take with him. It was strange how his life turned around completely in just a few hours... and he wasn't sure if it was for the best or not.

"The harbinger for the Kyuubi no Kitsune is to help a god return to the Heavenly Bridge..." he whispered to himself. "I think fate's just trying to mess with me."

Grabbing a good lot of exorcism slips and extra trinkets that he could use on his journey to Toyama, Naruto placed them securely underneath his tight belt of weapons, his eyes seemingly dark as he turned back to the sleeping god. He was about to embark on a journey that had suddenly sprout about because of that man... and he could possibly die while doing so. There were demons out there a lot stronger than Naruto's many former opponents.

"It's best not to think of it in a negative light," the blond said to no one but himself. "I should see this as an oppurtunity to strengthen myself... and to maybe find myself some glory," he grinned. "I am helping out Amaterasu, after all."

He glanced over at said diety and an expression of worry washed over his face. Amaterasu looked so young... He might've been a god, but he was still a boy, all alone in a place he wasn't familiar with...

Naruto shook his head and whined childishly. His fatherly instincts were kicking in, making him feel a lot older than he actually was.

"Well, Amaterasu, we have a long journey ahead of us... since Toyama is two days away from here," he sighed and bent down to place his hands underneath the man's arms, lifting him up into the air and bending him over his shoulder.

A crackle of thunder suddenly shook the ground beneath him and he narrowed his eyes at the familiar tremors. Thunder couldn't shake the earth unless it came from the Raijuu...

"Why now? I haven't seen that thing in ten years," Naruto tightened his hold on Amaterasu and exited his hut, wind blowing wildly around him. All of the villagers were heading toward Sarutobi's large home, still praying that the sun would come up soon. Dark clouds moved in from the ocean and lightning struck down into the water.

"The gods have turned against us!" one of the village men shouted in fear, holding his wife and small boy to him.

"That's no god," Naruto snarled and lowered Sasuke off of his shoulder, looking down at his sleeping face. "You seem to bring me bad luck, Ami," he mumbled and laid him against the doorway.

_'Amaterasu!'_

Naruto's eyes bled to an incarnadine red and he snapped around, slitted pupils focusing on the small weasal-like creature that had screeched the man's name with a dark loathing. It flew from the sky, wrapped in crackling light that slowly disappeared as it got closer, wide eyes full of anger.

"It's after him?" Naruto growled and ripped three exorcism slips out from behind his weapon belt, moving his arms at an almost impossible speed. He thrust a slip behind him, shouting 'shogaibutsu' and creating a small shield around Amaterasu. He then took the other two in both hands and flung each one to the side, yelling 'hirogari'.

The space around them closed off so that the villagers wouldn't be able to see him use Kyuubi's power. Now he only hoped that Amaterasu wouldn't wake up in the middle of the fight to witness Naruto as the demon. Naruto could only erase a person's memory once and he might need to do that later on if neccesary.

_'You protect that wretch?.!'_ the Raijuu growled loudly as it flew closer to the priest. Its voice echoed throughout Naruto's head and the blond slid back, pulling out one of his guns and aiming.

Pulling the trigger, he watched the bullet burn up before it could even reach the beast and he snarled in annoyance. It looked like he would definitely have to resort to using all of Kyuubi's power for the first time in a long while.

"I hope I don't break apart the shield I put up..."

Then Naruto's body was engulfed in red and the color rose up high, taking the form of a hissing fox. Nine tails swung around violently and a dangerous growl was all the warning the charging Raijuu got before Naruto lurched forward.


	3. Toward Toyama

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**Yeah, this took WAY longer than a month x.x I'm so sorry. But please review so I know you're still with the story? I need to have a driving force, ya know? XD**

**Amaterasu- Sasuke**

**Tsukuyomi- Itachi**

**Other characters will come in a the tailed beasts in later chapters.**

Kyuubi's form bubbled around Naruto like molten lava as he sped forward, the crimson aura spilling onto the ground and scorching the moist earth. His sheer power was far greater than that of any of the legendary Bijuu, and the Raijuu knew that; yet the weasal still charged at him with pure rage in its eyes. It wanted Amaterasu dead before the god could return to his bridge in the sky and return someday to attempt to kill it once again.

_'How dare you protect the thing that wants our kind dead! Kyuubi, you're a traitor!'_

The Raijuu seethed and its small body slammed into the ground, burrowing deep underground. Its screeching and growling died off beneath the thick rock and soil and Naruto came to a halt, kicking up large stones. The red aura around him simmered down and slithered down his large frame, turning the dirt a deep black as it seeped into the ground.

It was the painful cry of the small Bijuu that woke Amaterasu, his obsidian eyes opening slowly to see the Raijuu burnt and bleeding on the torn-up ground. It hissed and hacked up blood, trying its hardest to get up and run from one of the many tails that twisted and jerked forward in an attempt to wrap around it and crush it.

"... A Bijuu...?" the god mumbled to himself, finding it strange that he wasn't able to sense the presence of it, even though it was only a few yards away. His whole body felt exhausted and everything he used to feel as a deity was gone. He now knew what it felt like to be a mere human. He felt as if his bones could break almost too easily in his new body, as if he could only do so much before his mortal limits came into play, as if he wasn't himself anymore.

Naruto smirked when his fourth tail was able to successfully wrap around the creature's back leg, the appendage twisting until the tip of it was at the Raijuu's bloody neck.

"Tell me the reason for why you're after him," the blond priest asked, referring to Amaterasu. As Kyuubi's power oozed from him and burned the other Bijuu, he was left unscathed, his taught body firm in place. "Surely the gods don't want us dead, so--"

_'But you're incorrect, Kyuubi,' _the Raijuu bared its fangs, eyes wide and fierce. _'You have not been preyed upon by Izanagi yet, I presume. That bastard of a god has gone mad with power and has decided that our kinds' mere existence poses a threat to him! He sent his sons after the Houkou and almost succeeded in dispatching him, but he escaped and has hidden himself away deep in his forest,'_ it growled. _'They came for me next, destroying my home and the animals I watched over! I came here to dispose of him so that he can't kill anymore of our kind! So I suggest you step aside, Kyuubi, before I tear your harbinger to shreds!'_

Naruto's eyes narrowed. He could hear the demon within him laughing, the sound vibrating like a bell in his mind. He opened his mouth, speaking the words that the nine-tailed fox fed to him:

"You can try as you might, dear Raijuu, but I would crush you here and now before you could even attempt it," the priest released the weasal and watched it fall, a ball of electricity forming around it. The creature hissed again and Naruto only grinned. "I will handle the sun god. Go back to your home and repair it, there is no need for you here, in **my** territory."

The Raijuu growled deeply before barking out a quick reply of '_kill him, Kyuubi'_ and shooting up into the sky, creating a swirling hole in the whisp of gray clouds above. As it left, the dark clouds let loose the rain they had been trying to hold in and Naruto let the fox's aura seep back into his body. He tried his hardest to lock the power as far into his mind as he could so that Amaterasu wouldn't detect it.

Running a large hand through his messy and wet hair, Naruto turned around and grumbled a 'kai', the barriers he'd put up burning away slowly. Luckily, the villagers were nowhere to be found (probably at Sarutobi's home), but Amaterasu was fully conscious and watching him with wary eyes, still slumped against Naruto's hut.

"Ah, you must be... confused as to where you are," the blond tried to play it off like the raven hadn't seen what'd gone on. He didn't want to have to erase the man's memory again, and if he acted the right way and played his cards right, then there wouldn't be a need to. "I found you washed up on the shore and brought you back to my village--"

"You were able to fend off the Raijuu," the god interrupted him suddenly, dark eyes calculating. "Fairly easily..."

"Well, that thing's been attacking our village for years now," Naruto lied with a frown. "I've gained a lot of experience on how it fights... But what did you call it? A Raijuu?" his charade went as planned and the suspicious gaze in Amaterasu's eyes melted away, replaced with curiosity and intrigue.

"That power of yours... It's something I've never seen before."

"I'm a conjurer," Naruto lied once again, "I can manipulate fire, but to the point that I can actually draw it from anything," he crouched down in front of the dark-haired male and looked straight into his eyes, cerulean waves clashing against firm, dark cliffsides. "But what **I** want to know is where you came from. When I brought you here, our village's high priest took a look at you..."

He could see the god's body stiffen ever so slightly. He could tell him a little piece of the truth, couldn't he?

"He told me that you were neither human nor demon--" his eyes widened and his reflexes kicked in, his body leaping back when an elbow attempted to make contact with his skull. He frowned at the other man. "What exactly was that for?"

Amaterasu glared at him.

"You know what I am."

"Correction, I know what **and **who you are. But you don't need to worry because I'm only here to get you back to the Heavenly Bridge, not spread your secret to all of Japan," Naruto snickered, using his humor to lighten the tense mood.

The god seemed skeptical, but his body eased up.

"I'm a priest," the blond said with a big smile. "I praise and worship the gods, especially you, Amaterasu," he lied again. "When our high priest told me who you were, he assigned me the task of returning you to the Heavenly Bridge so that the sun could return to the sky. I'm not here to harm you at all, only to help you."

The rain fell harder and Naruto grumbled curses under his breath, not liking his luck so far. He walked past the confused Amaterasu and looked in both directions, looking for any villagers that could spot them leaving. He turned, noticing how droplets of rain slid underneath the younger-looking male's eyes and fell like tears to his chin. He had to admit, the youth was the prettiest thing he'd seen in a long time.

"You're going to help me?" the god shifted and stepped closer to Naruto and ran his dark eyes ovcer the man before him, as if inspecting him for some physical appearance that would prove he was lying. "Why should I trust a human like you? If I've learned anything of you mortals it's that you lie, cheat, and kill in order to get what you want. Maybe you want me for some other more selfish purpose," his stance suddenly became more defensive.

Naruto held his hands up in a peaceful gesture and smiled reassuringly.

"A religious man does not ingulge in selfish deeds, only in selfless ones."

Amaterasu relaxed once again and stood there, a beautiful statue being rained upon by the skies that missed their god so. He tilted his head back and his black orbs took in the dark sky and light grey clouds, his pink lips pulling into a thin line and brows scrunched together in an oddly attractive away. Yes, Naruto had definitely never seen someone so beautiful in his life. Were all gods that stunning and gorgeous? The statues and pictures of them in the old temple surely didn't do them justice if so.

"Then I will trust you, **Priest**," Amaterasu spoke smoothly. "And if you can return me to the Heavens, then I will bestow upon you a gift."

Naruto laughed lighty. "I don't need a gift. And please, call me Naruto," he tightened the belt of weapons that was slung loosely around his hips and, once again, glanced around to see if there were any villagers. He could hear the loud voices of two of the village's welders in the distance, but he knew they could leave before anyone showed up. "Now, if you'll follow me, we're going to head to Toyama."

"Naruto," the deity's voice was deep, "what is the purpose of going to Toyama?"

"That's where I get my ammunition from," the blond grinned and shook the belt around his waist. "An old friend of mine lives there and will provide me with some things I'll need for this trip. We'll also have lodging, so come along," he said with much enthusiasm. "Oh, and we need to do something about your name. Amaterasu is a give-away to who you are, you know? Let's go with a more human name. How about...?"

"Sasuke."

Naruto, who had been pushing aside thick underbush so he could clear a path into the forest, turned his head and tossed the male a questioning look. "Sasuke?"

"It was the name of an old villager I met decades ago," the raven explained. "He was the only person to ever treat me and my brother with kindess and hospitality."

"Ah... then Sasuke it is," the priest then continued to shove away thick vines and broken branches, cursing when he got absolutely no help from his 'traveling companion.' He asked the other politely to help him, but the only reply he got was a monotone 'hn.'

--

Five hours into their journey and Naruto was starting to get annoyed by the heat. He was already tired from walking so long and he was starting to wonder if Ama--Sasuke was able to break a sweat at all, considering the god was walking at a leisurely pace behind him without a single drop of sweat marring his pale complexion. Heaving a sigh, Naruto veered off to the right and plopped down on an old, fallen tree.

"Why are we stopping?" Sasuke asked, still standing on the dirt path that would lead them straight to Toyama.

"There's no sun and it's still so hot," Naruto complained and wiped sweat from his forehead and neck with the bandages wrapped tightly around his forearms. "How can you tolerate the heat in that thick kimono?"

The dark-haired beauty glanced down at his garbs, as if noticing them for the first time since he'd woken up earlier. His eyes held a sense of adoration for the pretty silk, Naruto noted, once the boy lifted his head up to stare back at him.

"I'm the Sun God," he answered. "I produce the heat of day, so I'm immune to trivial matters such as becoming too hot."

Naruto frowned.

"Now why didn't I figure that out myself?" the blond tapped his calloused fingers on his right knee, glad he was able to let his real self out. The one thing he hated about being a priest was how he was expected to talk, with perfect diction and elegance. Now that he was out of his village, he could relax and speak how he wished to. "But it's getting darker the farther we go," he added. "I can hardly see anything," he lied. He had Kyuubi's perfect vision to aid him in the dark.

"You're a conjurer, correct? Create fire and light our way."

"You know what? I'm going to tell you the truth. I'm tired of walking and want to rest here for the night, if you don't mind. It should be evening by now, anyway," Naruto admitted, refusing to walk anymore that day.

Sasuke nodded his head in understanding and sat down next to his companion on the fallen oak. He was beginning to find his attire annoying for their journey, despite how gorgeous it was. Lifting a thin arm, he inspected the silky sleeve, then opened his hand and stared at his palm.

"Something wrong?" Naruto asked, leaning forward and scratching the back of his neck. He also looked at the pale palm of the sun god and raised two eyebrows.

Furrowing his own brows, the raven concentrated on his hand and smirked when a small flame errupted, shooting up two feet before simmering down and engulfing his hand. He moved his limb from side to side, a red streak following it.

Naruto looked stunned, but then grinned.

"I suppose you're not completely mortal?"

"I can summon some of my original power... but nothing near what I used to have. It seems as if my father didn't strip me of everything. I can still capture the Bijuu..."

The blond was dumbfounded. So he **did** want to kill his kind...

"Why do you want to do that?"

"Safety precautions," Sasuke replied with a frown. "The Bijuu are the tailed beasts of Japanese legend... they're powerful creatures that live among nature and are told to be mostly peaceful. But as of lately, they've been attacking people and craving more power than what they already have. So my father decided to destroy them before they could become powerful enough to destroy us. But only two of the tailed beasts actually pose a real enough threat as of right now; the Orochi and the Kyuubi."

_Yes, he should consider me a threat,_ the demon chuckled within Naruto's mind. _As for Orochi, I haven't seen him in decades. I did feel his presence in the Asahidake mountains a few years ago, though. That snake could still be there, for he doesn't migrate too often._

"My brother and I haven't had much luck finding either of them, unfortunately. We've located three of the other Bijuu, but none of the others," Sasuke laced his fingers together.

_That's because they've taken human containers, __**boy**__, _ Kyuubi crooned in amusement. _Go ahead, tell him that. I think it would be quite enjoyable to help him on his hunt for my brothers._

_Why? _Naruto spoke mentally, confused.

_You may not have known this, but I __**do**__ know that they hunger for more power. I have felt most of their auras flare in the last couple of years and they crave the chance to overthrow the gods and take their place as rulers. I, myself, enjoy the peace that the current gods provide, so I do not approve of my brethren. If I had to choose, I would dispose of them._

"One of the elders in my village told me about the Bijuu once, I believe," Naruto lied through his teeth, deciding not to go against Kyuubi's wishes. He trusted that fox more than he trusted himself. "He informed me of what are known as Jinchuuriki, human containers for the Bijuu who don't want to ever be found."

"Containers?" Sasuke was intrigued, his dark eyes lighting up ever so slightly.

"The Bijuu will hide themselves in an expecting mother and live inside her child, to be born as a part of the baby once it's born," Naruto explained. "So they could be inside a human somewhere, to prevent capture."

After he said that, he watched as the male's expressions ranged from intrigued, to confused, to angered, to frustrated, then to determined. It was much different from the indifferent person the blond had seen only a couple of hours ago. Watching the god stand up and walk back toward the path, he blinked.

"O-Oi, where are you going?"

"To Toyama as quickly as possible. I would like to ask others if they've heard of the Jinchuuriki or know where they might be," Sasuke answered, swiftly stepping over stones and fallen tree branches in the middle of the path. He didn't pay any attention to the grumbling blond that ran to catch up to him, for he was too concerned with finding the beasts.

He would return to the Heavenly Bridge after disposing of every single tailed beast, then he would regain his place as Amaterasu, the sun.


End file.
